Supporting device for hand carriable sawmill having a rectangular guide rail carriage mountable upon the log



Feb. 2, 1965 c. E. MCMANAMA 3,168,127

SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR HAND CARRIABLE SAWMILL HAVING A RECTANGULAR GUIDE RAIL. CARRIAGE MOUNTABLE UPON THE LOG Filed Dec. 2l, 1962 JNVENTOR. CHARLES E. Mc MANAMA United States Patent Oiiliee 3,168,127 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 3,168,127 SUPPRTING DEVICE EGR HAND CARRIABLE SAW/MILL HAVING A REC'IANGULAR @GUIDE RAIL CARRIAGE MUUNIABLE UPON THE LUG Charles E. McManama, lotlateh, Idaho Filed Dee. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 246,5Si 3 Ciaims. (Ci. 14S-m19) In a hand carriable sawmill in which the saw, mounted on a rectangular guide rail surrounding and supported by the log, traverses the log in sawing such as is shown in the applicants Patent No. 3,115,909 and as described herein there is need for a device which retains the sawmill upon the log preparatory to engaging the setworks or other method of positive engagement which supports the saw during the sawing operation. Without such a device, considerable manual effort is required merely to hold the machine in position until positive engagement of setworks or other support is accomplished. Therefore such a device is of great value to the use of hand carriable machines of this type and other type sawmills using guide rails similarly mounted upon a log.

This device in its most fundamental form is a retractable bar of adequate strength which projects from the structure at each end of the guide rails far enough to have con-tact over each end of the log, thereby supporting the machine. The contact over the log is centered vfrom the end structures and has a broad enough contact surface that the machine balances upon the log. After engagement of the setwcrks or other support used during sawing, this supporting device is retracted beyond the end of the log and is out of the way.

The object of this invention is to provide such a portable sawmill with such a retaining device.

This and other objects become apparent from the specication as illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which: FIGURE 1 is the top view of the sawmill using the retaining device. FIGURE 2 is a section taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

The accompanying drawing shows the general appearance of such a hand carriable sawmill, which essentially is a horizontal band saw a, which traverses on guide rails b adjustably mounted to cut boards from the log, for which the use of such a supporting device would be especially unique. Cross members f connect the rails b adjacent their ends and mount the setting devices e thereon. These setting devices engage the opposite ends of a log g in order to adjust the rails and saw vertically relative to the log. Also mounted on each cross member f is the supporting device c, retractably and slidably mounted in the guides d to a position where it protrudes over the log preparatory to engaging setworks or other support used while sawing. When the sawmill is initially placed upon the log, supporting devices c (at each end of the guide rail) are extended and rest upon the log, supporting the sawmill thereon. Set-ting devices e are then engaged against each end of the log and are then able to support the machine in a rigid manner suitable for operation. Supporting devices c are then retracted as shown in broken lines in the drawing, and the setting devices e lower the machine to the proper level for sawing.

Having thusly described my invention which I desire to protect by Letters Patent, I claim as original invention:

1. In a portable `sawmill having a rectangular frame adapted to surround the log, a pair of laterally spaced side rails, cross members connecting said rails adjacent the opposite ends thereof respectively, a saw slidably mounted on said lside rails for cutting the log, a setting device mounted on each of said cross members, for engaging the opposite ends of the log, guide means mounted on the center of each of said cross members, an interim supporting means comprising a pair of elongate structures each slidably mounted in one of said guide means and extendable toward the other to overlie the log and temporarily support said sawmill on the log, said elongate structures being retractable to a position so that the sawmill may be lowered on the log `for the cutting operation.

2. A device as set forth in claim l in which said elongate structure is restrained from rotating in its guide and in which the log contacting end thereof has a broad undersurface which facilitates balancing of the sawmill upon the log in a stable manner.

3. A device as `set forth in claim 2, the vertical location of this device being beneath the saw in its travel upon the g-uide rail and also above the level of the said setting device or engagement means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,609,848 Schneider Sept. 9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 904,386 France Feb. 26, 1945 653,179 Great Britain May 9, 1951 

1. IN APORTABLE SAWMILL HAVING A RECTANGULAR FRAME ADAPTED TO SURROUND THE LOG, A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED SIDE RAILS, CROSS MEMBERS CONNECTING SAID RAILS ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF RESPECTIVELY, A SAW SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SIDE RAILS FOR CUTTING THE LOG, A SETTING DEVICE MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID CROSS MEMBERS, FOR ENGAGING THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE LOG, GUIDE MEANS MOUNTED ON THE CENTER OF EACH OF SAID CROSS MEMBERS, AN INTERIM SUPPORTING MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATE STRUCTURES EACH SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN ONE OF SAID GUIDE MEANS AND EXTENDABLE TOWARD THE OTHER TO OVERLIE THE LOG AND TEMPORARILY SUPPORT SAID SAWMILL ON THE LOG, SAID ELONGATE STRUCTURES BEING RETRACTED TO A POSITION SO THAT THE SAWMILL MAY BE LOWERED ON THE LOG FOR THE CUTTING OPERATION. 